


Up to the Challenge

by coolbyrne



Category: Rizzoli & Isles
Genre: F/F, Rizzoli & Isles |, fan fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-15 22:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3465044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coolbyrne/pseuds/coolbyrne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Much to Jane’s chagrin, she and Maura enter a Survivor Challenge held by the BPD. (Established Rizzles.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

TITLE: Up to the Challenge

AUTHOR: coolbyrne

RATING: T (mostly for language)

SUMMARY: Much to Jane’s chagrin, she and Maura enter a Survivor Challenge held by the BPD. (Established Rizzles.)

A/N: I absolutely love [Les Stroud](http://www.lesstroud.ca) and always wanted to write a survival-type story with Jane and Maura, but nothing too drastic or dire! I’m in a job where “team building” is a big waste of time, and I thought that might fit the Rizzoli & Isles universe, too. As always, anything that sounds factual- particularly coming from Maura- has been researched. The rest is just for fun. Maura’s comment about being caught in a snowstorm is a reference to an earlier story I wrote, “The Long Way Round”. This story is set in my own R&I universe, where the relationship has already been established, with Season 1 parameters. (See “Bread and Butter” for the beginning of this relationship.) My thanks to RomanMachine/happycamper5/thenicecheese for the beta, and for being my choice in a survival challenge.

…..

Guided by freshly brewed aroma, Jane shuffled down the stairs and into the kitchen. Trading a kiss for a cup, she plopped down on the stool beside Maura. Her face was practically in her coffee, and Maura gently tilted up Jane’s chin.

“Good morning,” Maura smiled.

“Uh,” Jane grunted. “People say that, but they never tell me what’s so damn good about it.”

Folding her paper, Maura leaned over and whispered into her ear. “I don’t know about the morning, but last night was very good.”

A smug grin spread across her face. “Yeah, that was very good, wasn’t it?”

Maura squeezed a thigh that was peeking out from the folds of Jane’s terry cloth robe. “What would you like for breakfast? I’m afraid we’re all out of fruit.”

Jane cracked open an eye and caught the feigned look of innocence. With a low laugh, she said, “Did we use it all last night?”

“And the chocolate,” Maura lamented. “Which I suppose means I won’t have to make you chocolate pancakes, so, as you like to say, ‘win-win’.”

“Very funny. Whatever you’re having, I’m sure I’ll love.” Smiling with delight, Maura stood and walked to the refrigerator. Jane was about to take a sip of her coffee when she saw the paper on the table. “What’s this?”

Maura glanced over her shoulder. “The Wall Street Journal.”

“No, I mean this.” Jane lifted the paper and pulled out two single sheets.

“Oh, they’re the release forms for the survival challenge. Absolves the organizer of any lawsuits in the event of an accident. Standard legal procedure.”

Jane hadn’t heard anything beyond ‘survival challenge’. Holding up the forms, she said, “What? I told you I didn’t want to do this.”

“Oh no, you changed your mind. You told me so.”

Her eyes narrowed. “When exactly did I tell you so?”

“Last night,” Maura replied, preparing some yogurt. “You carried me upstairs and I mentioned how your strength and balance could be useful in the survival challenge. Then I asked if you’d thought about changing your mind. You gave a noise that seemed to be in agreement.”

“Mmmm-hmmm,” Jane hummed.

“Yes! Just like that.”

“Let me put it to you this way- you were in that Red Sox lingerie I bought you for Christmas, right?”

“Yes.”

“The one with the little logos here?” She made a circular motion around her breasts.

“Yes.”

“Sweetheart, you could have asked me to go to work with lipstick on my eyebrows and I would have said ‘yes’.”

Realization dawned in Maura’s eyes. “Oh.” She saw Jane’s nod of approval. “Ohhhh.” She brought the bowls over to the kitchen island and sat beside her. “So you don’t want to go.”

“No. It’s nothing but a weekend of the guys measuring their dicks. It’s never about survival for them. It’s about who’s the manliest.” Jane made air quotes and rolled her eyes.

Maura nodded. “Detective Crowe did say there was no chance of coming in last with two broads in the competition.” She, too, made air quotes.

“He said what?”

“He said there was-”

“I got that. He called us ‘broads’? What a prick.”

“Oh, it’s okay, Jane,” she replied, lifting a spoonful of yogurt to her lips. “He’s probably right. With me on the team…well, I know my track record in these kinds of events. It’s probably for the best.”

Jane’s heart sank at Maura’s words, until she caught Maura glancing up then looking away. “Ah ha!” she exclaimed. “I am  _so_  on to you.”

“I don’t know what-”

“Uh huh. ‘Oh, it’s okay, Jane’,” she repeated, fluttering her eyes. “I’ll hand it to you, you’re good.” She kissed Maura’s temple, and softened her teasing. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than spend a weekend alone with you. But, not in the middle of Douglas State Park worrying about when Crowe’s going to set the place on fire.”

Maura couldn’t help but smile. “I concede your point.”

Jane pulled her in softly for a kiss, humming at the contact. “I’m going to get ready for work. Why don’t you think of something else you want to do this weekend? I promise I’ll keep my whining to a minimum.”

Maura smiled again and kissed Jane before shooing her off to the bedroom.

…..

“Hey, Rizzoli,” Crowe shouted when she entered the bullpen. “I heard they’re offering a consolation prize for comin’ in last in the survival challenge. I’ll be sure to tell them to make it in pink.”

A wiry man in the corner snickered, “Do they make tampons in pink?”

The two detectives fist-bumped each other and snorted. Jane glowered but ignored their taunts. Slipping into her seat, she started her computer and checked her mail. Of course, the men wouldn’t give up so easily.

“Ozzie, did you see the rules let you bring one extra item off the list?”

“Yeah,” his partner replied loudly. “I’m bringin’ a case of beer!”

They fist-bumped again before Crowe said, “Maybe Dr. Isles should bring some glue. Breakin’ a nail would be a horrible emergency.”

Jane didn’t flinch and they didn’t relent.

“You gonna even try to finish the survival contest or are you just gonna pitch a tent and make out with your girlfriend?”

Vanoss snickered, “Her girlfriend makes me pitch a tent!”

Before Jane had a chance to break, Cavanaugh’s door slammed open, and the lieutenant stepped out, a picture of calm. “Aren’t you two assholes done for the day? Or are you fuckin’ around on the city’s dime?”

Crowe jumped to his feet. “We were just finishing up, Lieu.”

“Yeah, well, consider yourself finished.” His gaze was a steely one. “You two are also finished talkin’ shit about Dr. Isles and Rizzoli’s relationship with her, got it? I hear another disrespectful word outta your mouth, and I’ll see to it that her  _girlfriend_  puts any and all future test results at the bottom of the considerable pile of work she does for us. Are we clear?”

The partners were smart enough to simply nod and slink out of the room. Jane didn’t even bother looking at them. Instead, she directed her attention to Cavanaugh. With an appreciative smile, she said, “Thanks, boss.”

“Don’t mention it, Rizzoli. Just do us all a favour – don’t finish last in the contest.”

“Don’t worry, sir. We won’t.” Cavanaugh nodded and returned to his office. Jane sighed, stood, and made her way to the elevator.

…..

“Do you have those forms?”

Maura looked up from her paperwork. “A bit more specific?”

“The forms for the survival thing,” Jane replied, dropping into a nearby chair.

Her face lit up. “You’ve changed your mind?”

Jane shrugged. “Well, not ‘changed my mind’ exactly. Cavanaugh just assumed we were doing it.” She heard how her words sounded and blushed. “The survival thing, I mean. Doing the survival thing. I don’t think he’s the type of guy who wants to hear how it ‘makes an ass out of u and me’.” Maura nodded in agreement. “So… here I am. Yay.”

Maura clicked her mouse several times until a soft whir of her printer started. She reached back for the forms and scribbled her name at the bottom of one. With an exaggerated drop of her shoulders, Jane stood and walked to the desk.

“I’m going to trust all this legalese is up front.”

“It is,” Maura replied. “It spells out their liability in the event of an accident or emergency.”

“Which I’m guessing is ‘zero’.”

“For all intents and purposes, yes.”

Jane nodded, but signed the sheet without a second glance. “You’re responsible for the packs, and making sure I don’t run into poison ivy.”

Maura stepped around her desk and wrapped her arms around Jane’s waist. “I promise I’ll make it worth your while,” she whispered slyly.

“Mmmmm,” Jane replied. “You’d better buy more fruit. And chocolate. A lot of it.”

…..

“I’m tempted to say I’ve never seen a sorrier bunch, but that would be a lie.” A stocky man with a military haircut stood tall amongst the crowd. The morning was cool, but he wore a simple black T-shirt and cargo pants without complaint. “The Drug Unit from last weekend looked worse.” This got a few chuckles from the group and he smiled. “I’m Malcolm Winchester, and I’m the guy who’s going to make sure no one dies out here.”

Frankie leaned into Frost. “If that’s not an Army name, I don’t know what is.”

“Rizzoli!”

“Yes, sir,” both siblings replied immediately.

He looked down at his list. “Didn’t know there were two of you. I meant Whispering Wendy over there.” He jerked his chin in Frankie’s direction. “The things I’m about to tell you could save your life. Unless you wanna keep talkin’.”

“No,” the younger Rizzoli said, dipping his head. “Sorry.”

“Okay. You’re all here as part of a team building exercise determined to be beneficial by your respective departments. The rules are simple: we give you GPS systems and shove you off into the woods, where it’s up to you to get to the predetermined finish line before 3 PM tomorrow. Optimally, you should be able to make it to the finish by noon. If you’re not back by 3, we’ll send a rescue team in to find you, and you can live with the ribbing at work for the rest of your career. We’ll set you off at 10-minute staggered intervals so you don’t all end up piggy-backing each other, and we knock the 10 minutes off at the end for every team except the first one. Make sense?” Everyone nodded. “You were all given a list of five things absolutely necessary to bring for the overnight excursion. A tent, a space blanket, a fire starter, water purification tablets, and a multi-tool. You were also given a list of things that were optional, though I would think food was a little more than ‘optional’. You also get to bring one item that wasn’t on either list, if you choose to do so.” The group nodded again and he continued. “Before we get started, I’m going to go through all your bags, just to make sure no one’s sneaking something in that will give an advantage.”

He called up teams two at a time, and his searches were quick, methodical, and thorough. He nodded at some items and grimaced at others, but otherwise said nothing. Then he called up the last two teams, and smirked when he saw Crowe and Vanoss saunter up, their backpacks nearly bursting at the seams.

“You know,” the organizer said as he picked through their bags, “the items on that second list were optional. You didn’t have to bring all of them.”

Crowe shrugged. “Can never be too careful.”

“And you’re going to be okay carrying this around for the next 24 to 30 hours?”

“No problem. I tested it around the house. I think I can handle it.” Crowe looked smugly at Jane and Maura’s bags.

Winchester noted the tent, the blanket, and the water purification drops. “Where’s your fire starter and your multi-tool?”

“Right here.” Crowe pulled the two items from his pockets.

“The reason I list it as a ‘firestarter’ rather than ‘matches’, or ‘flint stone’ or ‘striker’ is because I’m always interested in what people will bring.” He held up Crowe’s offering. “A lighter, huh?” Glancing up at the sky, he mused, “Hope it doesn’t get too windy.” He turned his attention to the Swiss Army knife. “I do the same with the ‘multi-tool’,” he said, “because there are so many options available.” He hefted it in his hand, marvelling at the weight. “That’s got to be half a pound. How many tools does this have?”

“Thirty one.”

“Uh-huh.” He pulled one out. “You plan on catching any fish during your time here, Mr. Crowe?” Seeing the look of confusion on the man’s face, Winchester explained, “It’s a fish scaler. To go along with this, which is the fish hook gorger. I didn’t see a means in which to catch fish in your bag. Though,” he reached into one of the many pockets, “I did find a snare kit. Maybe it’ll all work together somehow. And your one optional item?”

“The inflatable pillow. My partner brought a 6-pack.”

Winchester blinked, but rather than reply, he turned his attention to Maura’s bag. “And where’s your fire starter and multi-tool?”

Maura produced a ferro rod and a small Swiss Army knife.

“The Soldier Knife. Very nice. Very light. Almost a third the amount of tools than Mr. Crowe’s, though. Think you’ll be okay?”

She suspected the question was a facetious one, but she replied anyway. “It  _is_  standard issue for the Swiss Armed Forces. I think it will suffice.”

He smiled. “Good choice on the ferro rod, too. And your optional item?”

“Makeup pads,” she announced proudly, oblivious to the laughter from Crowe and his partner, and the incredulous looks of everyone else. “Jane’s is Neosporin.”

The military man said, “There’s Neosporin in the first aid kit we supply.”

“I was concerned it might be the newer cream-based version.”

He held up the small pads and looked at Maura with a newfound appreciation. Nodding, he said, “I see what you’re doing.”

“Yeah, removing her makeup,” Crowe snorted.

In unison, Jane and Winchester snapped, “Hey!” Seeing Maura place a gentle hand on Jane’s arm, he looked from one to the other and smiled. “Ah.” Without further comment, he reached into the box that was at his feet and held up three items. “First aid kit with the barest components: a triangle bandage, a cold pack, some pain killers, a few bandaids, and a tube of Neosporin. Cream.” He winked at Maura. “A map to give you an idea of the lay of the land. Not waterproof, so don’t get it wet. And finally, a GPS system that shows you where you are and where your competitors are. Works like a compass and doubles as an emergency contact.” He held up the device. “Keep in mind, depending on where you are, it could take up to an hour to get to you, so you may have to rely on the goodness of your competitors. Let it be known right now – if you hear the emergency call, you are under no obligation to help. But I will not be impressed.”

Frost spoke up for the first time. “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but there are some ‘competitors’ here who would be the last people I’d help.”

Winchester conceded the point. “Understood. The decision is entirely up to you and your partner. And that’s what this is really about – making decisions with someone else and working together. Finishing first is great, but what you learn about yourself is the most important thing. Are there any questions?”

“All right,” he said. “There are five teams and I just randomly drew names to determine the order in which you’ll go.” He looked at his clipboard. “Weaver and Spodnowski, you’re first, followed by Crowe and Vanoss, then Rizzoli and Frost. Capstein and Johnson will go fourth, and last, but certainly not least, Isles and Rizzoli. The entrance to the forest is marked by those two red ribbons, 30 yards apart. You can go in anywhere between those markers. You two ready?” he asked the first team.

The two men nodded and hoisted their packs onto their backs. Weaver acknowledged the group. “Good luck, gentlemen. And ladies.” His smile was genuine and he gave a small salute before turning to his partner. “Let’s do this!”

Winchester set his watch and raised his hand. “Ready… go!”

They watched as each team disappeared into the thick brush, 10 minutes apart. As they stood waiting for their turn, Winchester said, “You’re the only female team in the 25 that were entered. I don’t wanna put any pressure on you ladies, but I bet my friends 50 bucks you’d finish in the top 5 overall.”

Jane groaned. “Yeah, no pressure.”

Maura tilted her head and asked, “You hadn’t even met us yet. Why would you feel that confident?”

“I’ve been doing this a long time,” he answered. “Most guys go in there,” he gestured towards the bush, “and fuckin’ go! They are gung-ho and all they can think about is makin’ time. And that’s not always what this is about. This is a challenge not just of the body, but of the mind; staying calm when you come up to a chasm you can’t cross and have to double-back for a mile. Not panicking when you drop the map into the water. Knowing when to settle down for the night, even if it’s still light. Guys are reactionary. Women are thinkers. Thinkin’ will save a lot of time, believe me. Out of the 25 teams, I guarantee at least 6 won’t make it. You’re only the second department and we had to rescue 2 for the Drug Unit.”

Jane’s eyes lit up. “Tell me one of them was Martinez.”

Winchester chuckled. “I do recall a Martinez being one, yes.”

“Ha!” she snorted.

“Now,” he said, all business once more, “don’t get too confident. Stay calm and stay together, and I think you’ll do all right.” He checked his watch. “You’ve got 30 seconds.”

They slipped the bags over their shoulders and took some last minute deep breaths. Jane glanced over to Maura, who had her eyes closed as if in quiet meditation. There was something in her composure that gave Jane a burst of confidence and energy. When Maura’s eyes opened, they looked at each other and Jane nodded. With conviction, she said, “We are not letting Mr. Winchester lose 50 bucks.” She held out her fist, and was proud when Maura bumped it with her own. Winchester counted down from five. “Let’s go!”

…..

Though the sun had yet to reach its highest point, Jane felt the heat on the back of her neck, and was thankful for Maura’s insistence that they both bring hats. The detective glanced down at Maura’s feet and chuckled.

“I love your boots.”

Maura looked down. “I wanted a good pair of hiking boots but was worried a new pair would cause blisters. Your mother very generously offered me hers.” She fidgeted. “They feel wonderful and it’s only taken me the morning to get used to the…”

“Shared germs?” Jane supplied helpfully.

Maura’s nose wrinkled. “Yes.”

“I saw you spray an entire can of disinfectant into them. You’ll be fine. Now,” she said, unfolding the map, “what’s our best option?”

“You know the GPS works the same as a map?”

“Yeah, but I like to see it all laid out.”

Maura accepted Jane’s reasoning and moved closer. “It looks like there are two clear options- this one appears to be the easier route, following the Richmond stream. But it’s also the longer route. Or, we can take the one that runs along the McGrayson Ridge. It’s shorter, but the terrain is more difficult.”

“Hmmm.” Jane pondered over the choices. “What do you think General Winchester would do?”

“Oh, according to the literature that came with the forms, he’s only a Sergeant-Major.”

Jane tried to hide her smile, to no avail. “So, what would Sergeant-Major Winchester do?”

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Maura said, “Slow and steady wins the race.”

“Nothing worth doing is easy.”

Maura raised her eyebrow at Jane’s counter. “I would have thought you’d want to take the easiest route. I know your heart’s not really in this.”

Jane pressed a kiss against Maura’s forehead. “I’m in this for you, which means my heart’s in there somewhere.” Her self-deprecating shrug was no match for Maura’s blinding smile. “Besides, that’s the quickest route. So I’ve got extra motivation.”

Maura threw her arms around Jane’s neck and squeezed tightly. The brunette pretended to protest with melodramatic choking sounds, but Maura held fast. “I love you,” she whispered into her ear.

She had promised herself in the early stages of their relationship to never take those words for granted. So, pushing aside her sarcasm and her eye rolls, she pulled back and said, “I love you, too.” They shared a moment under the warm, blue sky before Jane finally said, “Would you like to lead the way, Livingstone?”

…..

The terrain was steep and rocky, even though their steps were careful, the duo were making good time. The sun had started its descent on the other side of noon when Maura found a flat area for them to rest. As they took off their bags and sat down on a fallen log, Maura dug into the packs and took out a couple of items.

“We have the water purification drops, but, well, we’re not near any water yet,” she said. “So I made sure to bring a few bottles.”

“According to the map, there’s a water source on the other side of this hill. How long do you think it’ll take us to get there?”

Maura handed Jane the water and a protein bar. “I think the distance on the map is deceptive. It may look like we should get there before the end of the day, but in reality, it might not be until the morning.”

Jane nodded. “So we’ll be careful with what we have. No problem.” She took a small sip from the bottle.

“There was no limitation on food, so I brought some fruit.” Jane snickered and Maura’s mouth twitched. “There’s a container of grapes in both packs. Those will help, too.”

“These things only make me want to drink more.” Jane shot a look at the protein bar in her hand and grimaced.

“The problem with survival food is its dryness,” Maura conceded. “But I’ve got a treat for you later.”

“Is it a protein bar covered in chocolate?” Jane beamed facetiously.

With a playful look of reproach, Maura ignored the jibe and collected their things. “I’m worried about rain, so we should aim for the top of the hill before settling down for the night.”

Jane froze, backpack half on and half off. “Rain?” She looked up. “There’s not a cloud in the sky.”

“I made sure to check the meteorologist’s report for the next 48 hours before we left this morning.”

Jane smiled and nodded knowingly. “Of course you did. How long do you think we’ve got?”

“It’s not supposed to reach us until the evening, but we’ll need to be set up and have enough dry wood for the night.”

“We should probably pick up some rocks, too.” She saw Maura’s look and replied, “Hey, I went camping as a kid. You need the rocks to contain the fire. That much I remember.”

They started up the hill once more, mindful of their steps. “What else do you remember about your camping years?” Maura asked.

“I remember the time Tommy found a skunk.”

“Oh, no.”

“Yeah,” Jane chuckled. “He was always good with animals, even as a kid. He got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Somewhere between the shack and the tents, he picked up this little baby skunk. He thought it was a cat with a big tail. I don’t think he was older than 5 or 6.”

Maura stumbled over a root and Jane quickly tugged her back by her jeans. Wiping her brow with the back of her forearm, Maura took a breath before continuing. “What happened next?”

“He brought it back to show Ma and Pop. Opened the tent and snuck in.”

“You didn’t hear him?”

“No. The kids had one tent and Ma and Pop had their own. Me and Frankie got to witness this from a safe distance.” Maura smiled, and Jane continued. “All we hear is this blood-curdling scream and then the tent starts shaking. Ma is freaking out. I mean, losing it. She’s trying to run to the door but Tommy’s standing there, proud as a peacock. ‘Can I keep it?’” Jane mimicked. “And, of course, the skunk reacts the only way a skunk can react to a crazy woman.”

“Oh, no,” Maura said again.

“Yep. Tail up, all over Tommy. I had the sense to lock-zip our door, because sure enough, the next thing I know, Pop is shaking our tent, yelling, ‘Janie! Open this door or you’re grounded!’ I yelled back, ‘Pop, I can smell you from here!’”

Maura chuckled and bent down to pick up some sticks. “The tent’s enclosed space would have ensured they all took the brunt of the spray.”

“And that’s why the Rizzolis’ Summer of ’91 Camping Trip was cut short. Me and Frankie rode the whole way home with our heads sticking out the windows.”

Maura’s laugh was long and loud. “Oh, I can just see you two.”

The incline was getting increasingly steeper as they ascended, so they were quiet for a long time; the only sound was their laboured breathing and the shifting of ground under their feet. They worked wordlessly but in tandem, picking up a stick or a stone here and there as they made their way up to the top. Once there, Maura consulted the map.

“We should walk in that direction for a short while,” she suggested. “According to the map, it will give us a slightly easier descent and will get us to the narrowest part of the stream.”

Jane nodded. “Might as well do it now while we have the light. And I see a decent crop of rocks and trees over there. Will make a good windbreak once we set up camp.” She saw Maura’s expression of delight and made a face. “Please. All this stuff you’ve got going on?” She gestured to their bags and the bundle of twigs in Maura’s hand. “You got that from your Les Stroud book. The one  _I_ bought you for Christmas.”

Maura kissed the tip of Jane’s nose. “If you hadn’t mentioned him when we got stuck in that snowstorm, I would have never known.”

Oh, I see,” Jane drawled. “So in the end, it’s really my fault we’re out here in the middle of nowhere instead of watching the Pats.”

Swatting her arm, Maura scoffed. “No. The Pats don’t play on Saturday.”

Jane scowled, but her eyes held warmth. “How long do you think it will take to get there?”

Maura shielded her eyes from the sun and gauged the distance. “Depending on the terrain, I can’t imagine it should take us more than 30 minutes.”

“Great,” Jane replied. “I can’t wait to sit down and take these boots off. And see how far back Crowe and Vanoss are!”

…..


	2. Chapter 2

…..

“How the hell are they ahead of us?”

They spent some time debating the pros and cons of setting up a tent versus using the outcrop of rock that jutted out just far enough to create a suitable cover. In the end, they decided on both, but rather than putting up the tent, they used the nylon for an additional windbreak, creating a small covered inlet of rock. They crammed their bags into the crevasses and laid out their sleeping bag. Maura was in the process of starting the fire when she heard Jane’s complaint.

“They were the second team out, Jane. They already have a 30 minute advantage.” She made a small pile of kindling. “Can you grab the Neosporin I brought? And the makeup pads.”

Jane dug into Maura’s bag and returned with the small tube. “So what’s the deal with the Neosporin, MacGyver?” Maura tilted her head and Jane smiled. “Never mind. Just tell me why this was more important than the one in the first aid kit. Winchester seemed pretty impressed you brought it.”

Maura turned as a sudden breeze swept her hair aside. “Can you feel that?” she asked.

Jane mirrored her movement. “Yeah. Rain’s coming.”

Carefully removing the top of the tube, Maura squeezed a small amount into the center of the circular pad. “Newer first aid kits come with Neosporin cream, which won’t work as a fire starter.” She placed the pad in the middle of the small stone ring. “Ointment contains petroleum jelly. Coupled with the cotton pads…” She struck the ferro rod with the back of her knife and sparks flew in the air. The pad quickly caught alight.

“ _That_  is awesome!”

Maura beamed. “Practically windproof, almost 100% waterproof. Will start almost every time.” She carefully covered the small flame with kindling and Jane leaned in to help. With patience, it grew into a decently sized fire and the two women stood to admire their handiwork.

“Great job,” Jane said. Looking around, she slid her arms around Maura’s waist and pulled them flush together. “So, about that surprise you promised me…”

Maura frowned until the suggestive meaning was understood. Smiling, she shook her head. “You’re incorrigible. Though I will keep that in mind for future camping incentives.” She winked and said, “See if you can find us something to sit on and I’ll make dinner.”

“Yay,” Jane cheered facetiously. “Roasted protein bars!” Maura nudged her with a shoulder and Jane waved her away. “Okay, I’m going and doing.”

As Jane went about her task, Maura covertly pulled out three containers from her bag. Opening two, she used the lids as plates and divided up the portions before stepping out of their makeshift shelter. She laughed when she saw Jane dragging a large tree trunk towards the camp.

“We’re not setting that on the fire, are we?” Maura asked.

Jane looked up and wiped her brow with the back of her hand. “No. I’m leaving it to Crowe to burn the place down.” Brushing the dirt off her thighs, she said, “It’s our bench. The best I could do.”

“It’s perfect. Now come sit down.”

Jane saw the plates and her eyes lit up. “What in the world…”

“I sacrificed my pillow space to bring some real food,” Maura replied. Sitting, she handed Jane a plate.

“This is chicken. And pesto salad.”

“I was going to heat up the chicken, but wasn’t sure how to do it without bringing more-” Her words were silenced with a kiss.

“This is perfect,” Jane said. “You’re perfect.”

Maura ducked her head. “Well, I can’t wait to see what you think about dessert.” She laughed when it got the response she expected.

“Well, now I can’t wait for dessert.”

The two ate in comfortable silence. The sun was just setting, painting a swatch of pink hues across the sky. But the wind had picked up slightly, forecasting the rain that had been hinted at for over an hour. Every so often, Jane would lean forward and put another small batch of sticks onto the fire. The wood popped, causing Maura to jump, and they shared a laugh.

“I could live out here,” Jane said.

Maura turned to look at her. “Out here?”

“Well, maybe not right here. But, out in the sticks. In the middle of nowhere. My monkey mind is very quiet.” She smiled at Maura.

“You’d hate it after a week,” Maura replied. “You’re a woman of action. You wouldn’t know what to do with yourself.”

“I could chop down trees,” Jane protested. “Hunt. Fish. Build things.” With each word, her confidence grew weaker and weaker. “Okay, fine. I’d hate it.”

Maura rested her head on Jane’s shoulder. “Why don’t we come up with something in the middle? We could always look for a cabin. Somewhere away from the city. A place of our own, just you and me.”

Jane closed her eyes. “That sounds like heaven.”

“Let’s look into it when we get back. In the meantime,” Maura gingerly stood and stretched, “I promised you dessert.” Collecting the plates, she scraped the remains into one container and bagged everything together. The third container, which had remained untouched, made its appearance at the campfire.

“What’s this?” Jane asked as Maura took her place beside her once more. Seeing Maura’s nod towards the container, Jane popped the lid. “Oh my God,” she whispered in delight. With a gentleness that belied her excitement, she slid her hand around the nape of Maura’s neck and into her hair before pulling her in for a kiss. What started as long and sensual ended with delicate pecks over Maura’s eyelids, nose and cheeks. The blonde laughed. “Did I mention you were perfect?”

“Perhaps once or twice.”

“I’ve always been shitty with words.” She kissed her one more time, then glanced back down. “Graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows. S’moooooores,” she drew out in a dreamy sigh.

Shaking her head, Maura admitted, “I’m not quite sure what to do with them. Your mother told me it was tradition.”

“You’ve never made S’mores before, Maura?” Jane asked. She tilted her head, replaying the words in her mind. “S’mores before, Maura.” She laughed at the sound. “Anyway, the first thing we need to do is find two sticks.” The brunette stood and began the search; it didn’t take long to find what she was looking for. “Okay,” she said, returning to their seat. “Where’s your multi-tool?”

Maura produced it from her pocket. She watched in fascination while Jane whittled the ends of each stick.

“While I’m doing this, why don’t you break the chocolate up into smaller pieces? I can’t believe you’ve never done this. This was a staple of every camping trip.”

“I’ve never been camping,” Maura replied.

Jane stopped the knife in mid-stroke. “Never?”

“No,” she said. “I was in boarding school by the time I was ten. And I suppose camping wasn’t seen as an academic pursuit.”

“Gee, stuck inside all the time. Sounds like fun!”

Maura gave her a gentle elbow to the ribs. “It wasn’t all books. There were sports. It just wasn’t… I wasn’t very good at them.” Her tone and her expression told of a childhood of being picked last and falling short of the finish line.

Jane leaned in and kissed her again. “But you were a kickass tree climber! They can’t take that from you.”

Maura smiled and returned the kiss. “No, they can’t.”

“Hand me a marshmallow. Watch carefully – you’re about to learn from a S’mores master.”

…..

They laid huddled under the blanket, Jane pressed behind Maura, both looking out into the night. A light rain began to fall just as they’d polished off the last of the gooey dessert. Jane was able to throw their ‘bench’ onto the fire before the rain became a downpour.

“You think that will be okay?” Maura asked.

“The fire? Yeah. The rain will keep it from burning too high. Look. It’s already down to low embers. Are you cold?”

She wiggled deeper into Jane’s embrace. “No. This is wonderful.”

“You think this is what they meant when they called it a ‘team-building exercise’?” She curled her hand around Maura’s breast and nuzzled under her ear.

“I hope that’s not what Detective Crowe imagined it to be.”

Jane’s lips froze against Maura’s neck. “Why did you have to go there?”

“What?” Maura protested with a laugh. “I was just thinking-”

She nipped at the blonde’s earlobe. “Stop thinking. Please. For my sake.”

“May I think about how much butt we’re going to kick tomorrow?”

Jane hummed in approval. “You may.”

Maura laced her fingers with Jane’s and nestled their hands under her chin. “May I think about how happy I am we’re here together?”

The sound of the rain was soft and melodic, lulling them to sleep. Jane kissed Maura’s neck and whispered, “You definitely may.”

…..

“You set an alarm?” Jane’s scratchy voice rasped into Maura’s ear.

The blonde was already pulling back the blanket and crouching out of their shelter. She began taking down the nylon cover, much to Jane’s chagrin, who raised a hand to shield her eyes.

“Sunrise was 5:52 AM,” Maura informed her. “It’s 6:15 now. We’re already behind schedule.”

Jane groaned, but gingerly crawled into the light. Pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes, she let out a mighty yawn and absently scratched her stomach. “Okay. Butts to be kicked. But then we’re going home and spending the rest of the day in the jacuzzi.” She folded the blanket and handed it to Maura.

“Deal. What do we do about the fire?”

Jane walked over, separated the remaining embers and carefully stomped out the heat. The overnight rain did most of the job for her, but she made sure every piece was completely devoid of amber or red. Her boots ground the charred sticks into the dirt until she was satisfied there was no risk. When she looked up, she saw Maura smiling.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Maura said, shaking her head. “I’m just reminded how very thorough you are.”

The underlying tone made Jane laugh. “And you call me incorrigible.” She glanced around their camp site. “Do we have everything?”

Maura handed Jane a bag. “I think so. Put on your sweater. Temperatures aren’t expected to get warmer for another 3 hours.”

She slipped it over her shoulders and slung the bag onto her back. “How long from here, do you think?”

“To the finish? I think we can make it before noon. We’ve been on a very good pace and we’re leaving early.”

“How is everyone else doing?”

Maura pulled out her GPS device and checked the digital tracker. “It’s hard to tell about the teams who took the stream. I’m not sure how to determine what’s an advantageous position. But I can tell you…” she frowned.

Jane came and stood beside her. “What is it?”

“It looks like Detective Crowe and his partner have become separated.” She pointed to the two blue dots on her screen.

“Maybe Vanoss isn’t so stupid after all,” Jane snorted.

“They have to finish together in order to qualify,” Maura said. “Separating is no advantage.”

Jane shrugged. “Screw them. We just need to focus on us. Do you have a path picked out?”

“Of course.” She pulled out the map. “There are two ways down the other side. We can wind our way down, or take the steep route.”

“I’m assuming the steep route is the quicker way.” Maura nodded. Jane looked off, giving it some thought. “Let’s take the winding route.”

Maura was surprised at the answer. “Really?”

“Any other day and I’d take the steep path. But I don’t trust it after the rain. If it adds extra time, it adds extra time.”

“I think we should take the steeper route.” Now it was Jane’s turn to be surprised. “We chose the harder route right from the start,” Maura reminded her. “Let’s not give up now.”

Jane pondered the option. “You sure?”

“Yes. Just do it or go home.”

“I think you’ve smashed two slogans into one. It’s ‘go big or go home’.”

She accepted the correction with victorious fist. “Right. Let’s go big.” Maura frowned. “You don’t know how much it pains me to say it that way. ‘Let’s go big’. That’s so wrong.”

“Good thing you’re not being tested on it, Ms. Tufte.”

Maura’s mouth opened in delight. “Virginia Tufte. How do you know that name?”

Adjusting the bag on her back, Jane tightened her ponytail and shrugged. “You have one of her books in your office. While you’re out getting test results, I have to find ways to avoid sitting in that thing you call a chair.”

“So you read books from my shelf.”

“I didn’t say I read them,” Jane corrected. “I ‘peruse’ the titles.” Maura’s mouth twitched at the word choice. “Are we ready or not?”

She took one last look around. “We’re ready.”

“Good. Then let’s go big.”

…..

Jane was right. The rain had made a somewhat difficult path a treacherous descent. She insisted on walking ahead of Maura, in order to find solid purchase and protect her from falling. Trees sparsely grew along the slope, but not close enough to be used as a constant means of stability. So they inched their way down, sometimes slipping, sometimes happy to feel their boots cut into an exposed root.

“I’m sorry, Jane.”

She heard the quiet apology behind her and looked over her shoulder. “Why are you sorry?”

“We should have taken the winding trail. You were right. This was a bad choice.”

Jane stopped and leaned against a sapling. “Hey. I could have very easily fought you on it, but I didn’t. I agreed to this, too.” She reached out and squeezed Maura’s hand. “We’ll be fine. As long as we’re careful, we can do this.” Maura’s eyes were downcast, and Jane bent to get her attention. “Right? We can do this. Now let me hear you say it.”

“We can do this,” Maura mumbled.

“Pardon?”

She looked up and gave a hesitant smile. “We can do this.”

“Damn right we can do this! Just stay focused and take your time, okay?”

Maura nodded, taking some measure of confidence from Jane’s words. “Okay.”

They made it another 20 feet before it happened.

Perhaps it was the uneven terrain, perhaps it was the fact that Maura was focusing too much, perhaps it was the unfamiliar boots she was wearing. Whatever the cause, Maura found herself landing sharply on her tailbone and her legs tangling with Jane’s, bringing the brunette down on top of her.

Jane exhaled sharply and dug in her heels to prevent them from sliding any further down the muddy slope. When they finally came to a stop, she couldn’t help but laugh. Glancing up into blue sky, she could only imagine the image they made. “Good thing Crowe’s not around to see this.”

“Jane,” Maura whispered. Clearing her throat, she said it again. “Jane.”

“Oh shit, sorry,” Jane replied, carefully scrambling to her feet. She reached down to help her up, but the blonde refused. “Maura?”

“Get the ibuprofen out of the first aid kit, please.”

Jane’s eyes widened, but she did as she was told. “What’s wrong?” She gave Maura a once over, frantically searching for an injury or wound. Finding none, she pleaded, “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Taking the pills from her hand, Maura asked, “Can you open the water for me?”

And that’s when she saw it. “Oh my God, Maura. Your elbow.”

She waved it off with her good hand. “It’s fine, Jane. I hyperextended it when I tried to stop myself from falling.”

“Fine? It’s the size of a baseball and it’s all… blotchy.”

“The ibuprofen will bring the swelling down. If I ever get a chance to take them.”

Jane frowned then realized she hadn’t gotten the water yet. “Shit. Sorry!” She cracked open the seal and handed her the bottle.

Maura swallowed the pills and held out her hand. “Help me up.” Now standing, she said, “There’s a cold pack and a triangle bandage in the kit. If you help, we can be ready to go in five minutes.”

“Wait, what?” Jane shook her head. “We’re not going anywhere. “We’re calling for help and sitting tight until they get here.” She reached into her pocket for the GPS device.

“Jane Clementine Rizzoli, you are not calling for help. We are patching me up and we’re continuing. I am fine.”

Jane ignored both the use of her full name and the steely tone in Maura’s voice. “You are not fine. Your elbow’s all…” she tried to mimic the unnatural bend and made a face. “It’s not worth it.” She glanced down at the screen and pressed a button. Before she had a chance to press another, the device was ripped forcefully out of her hand and sent flying down to the bottom of the hill.

It was hard to say which woman was more shocked.

“Maura!” Jane said, stunned at the unexpected act of aggression from the normally composed woman.

Taking a deep breath through her nose, Maura raised her chin. “It’s worth it to me.” Jane shook her head and made a motion to reach for the extra GPS when Maura pulled back. “No. We came out here to do this, and we’ve gotten this far. Once we get to the bottom, it’s nothing to go from there to the finish line.”

“Maura…”

“No,” she repeated, but her defiance began to fade away. “Don’t you understand? My whole life, Jane. Outside of any academic success, I finished last. Picked last for the team. Chosen last by my family.” Her voice caught on the last word. “I am not finishing last. Not today.”

Jane enveloped her in a gentle embrace and pressed her lips against Maura’s forehead. “Why didn’t you say? I didn’t know it meant that much to you.”

“Because I don’t want to become your pity project.”

Jane pulled back sharply. “Hey. You are  _not_  my ‘pity project’. You are the person I love and want to support. I would do anything for you. Anything. Are we clear?” Her expression was as serious as her words and it caught Maura by surprise.

“Y-yes.”

“Good. And if that means I have to piggyback you all the way to the finish line, that’s what I’m going to do.”

The idea made Maura smile and she shook her head. “I don’t think that will be necessary. But thank you.” She placed a soft kiss on Jane’s lips. “If you can help me put on the triangle bandage, I think that will be enough.”

They worked in tandem, Maura with direction and Jane with action, until the arm was securely pinned against Maura’s chest. Jane stepped back to assess her handiwork.

“What do you think?”

“I think you did a great job,” Maura praised. “But we should have put the bag on my shoulders first.”

Jane scoffed. “Right. Because I’m going to let you carry your bag with a busted wing.” She slipped Maura’s bag on so it was facing forward, then looped her arms through her own until it was situated on her back. “See? Front and back. Glad I didn’t have to try this with Crowe’s bag. Did you see the size of that thing?”

They laughed and began their descent again, this time with Maura in front. They took extra care, mindful of each step and using every tree to their advantage. Though the terrain was wetter the closer they got to the bottom, the water seemed to work to their advantage, creating less slippery sludge and more puddles. They were grateful for the Gore-Tex boots.

“We’re almost there,” Jane said, feeling the ground levelling out. Her prediction rang true less than 10 minutes later, when they found themselves in an open valley.

“It’s across this field and 50 yards through the trees,” Maura announced with an unbridled enthusiasm that made Jane smile.

“We’re literally on the home stretch,” Jane said, holding out her hand. Linking their fingers together, she looked into hazel eyes. “You and me.”

…..

“Ha-HA!” the booming voice of Malcolm Winchester rang out across the open parking lot. He clapped his hands twice before placing them on his hips, standing proudly.

“He looks like a dad at his kid’s graduation ceremony,” Jane remarked with a smirk. “Have you checked your GPS?”

“No.” Maura reached into her pocket. “Why?”

Jane jerked her thumb in the direction of the finish line. “Do you see anyone else there?”

Maura looked around. The realization slowly dawned on her face. “We’re…”

Jane turned the screen to show Maura the map. “Five teams, ten dots. Where are we?”

“Twenty yards from the finish line.”

“And where is everyone else?”

“They’re-”

“Not here,” Jane interrupted. “And that’s all that matters! Race you to the finish?”

Before the words were out of her mouth, Maura took off like a shot.

…..

“So tell me again how it ended?”

Frost smirked and picked up Jane’s meaning when he saw Crowe and Vanoss slink into the bullpen. “Right,” he began. “So me and your brother finally realize we’ve had the map upside down the whole time, and we’re thinking, ‘Well, that’s us in last place’. But we still give it a shot and cross the finish line before 3.”

“That was the cutoff time, wasn’t it?” she asked, taking a sip of her coffee and glancing at Crowe over the rim.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, Rizzoli,” he said. “Your shift’s over. Shove off.”

“Anyway,” Frost continued, “we’re all long faces and Winchester asks why. Of course, we tell him we’re disappointed we came in last. He claps Frankie on the shoulder and said, ‘Good news! There are two doorknobs who are even worse than you!’ I kinda took that as a compliment, all things considered.”

“But then you saw Crowe and Ozzie come out of the bush,” Jane quipped.

“Very fuckin’ funny,” Crowe retorted.

“Didn’t even know it was them at first,” Frost said, feigning an innocent expression. “Especially Crowe. Man, he was covered head to toe in mud. Like some kinda freaky Swamp Thing lumbering out of the bush!”

Even Vanoss snorted, getting him a dirty look from his partner. “What? C’mon. It was funny. I told you we shoulda set up camp earlier. By the time we got to it, it was so dark, I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. Lucky for me, I tied my tent to a coupla trees. When we couldn’t start a fire, I knew the wind was gonna be a bitch. Didn’t even think about the rain.”

“Fuckin’ rain,” Crowe grumbled.

Vanoss sat on the edge of Korsak’s desk, warming up to his story. “I can sleep through anythin’. Didn’t hear the rain, didn’t feel the rain seepin’ into my tent. Nothin’. And I know I didn’t hear Crowe’s tent gettin’ blown off the side of the hill!” Jane doubled over with laughter and Frost wiped the tears from his eyes. “I wake up at 10 in the mornin’ to take a leak. Step outta the tent, look around. ‘Where the fuck’s Crowe?’ Then I see his tent, almost at the bottom of the hill. He was wrapped up like a fuckin’ burrito covered in black bean sauce. I gotta say, for a second, I thought he was dead. Then the moaning started.”

“I give you credit, man,” Frost said. “Draggin’ that fat ass to the finish line? I couldn’t have done it.”

Vanoss nodded. “Any time we thought we had on the rest of you, well… that was shot.”

“It was a fix,” Crowe complained. “If we hadda been sent off last like you, Rizzoli, we could’ve avoided the rain, too.”

“Or,” a voice said from the doorway, “you could have done a bit of research before the day, Detective Crowe.”

Jane’s face brightened at Maura’s entrance. “Hey,” she greeted softly.

“Hey,” she replied. “Are you not finished?”

“Oh no,” Frost piped up, “Ozzie here isn’t nearly finished.” Turning to the detective, he asked, “So how did the tumble down the hill end up costing you? I mean, I would’ve thought the weeble roll would have saved you time.”

“Weeble roll!” Jane repeated with a laugh.

“We lost the map and the GPS got smashed in the weeble roll.” Vanoss risked a glance at his partner and coughed. “Mine got soaked in the rain that flooded the bottom of my tent.”

“Ours got a little wet, too,” Jane said, pointedly looking at Maura. The doctor sheepishly looked away, recalling how they found the GPS at the foot of the hill, half submerged in a puddle.

“Took us forever to figure out where the hell we were and where the hell we had to go.”

Frost grinned. “You know, Winchester was livid. He thought he was going to have to send in a rescue team.”

“I know,” Vanoss groaned. “And after Crowe got some medical attention, he made us go back and get our stuff.”

“You left it behind?” Maura asked.

He shrugged. “It was either carry the two bags, or his fat ass. I ain’t Superman.”

Crowe jerked his chin towards Maura. “You really screw up your elbow out there?”

She looked down at her sling. “Just a slight hyperextension.”

“Bent it back, like this,” Jane attempted to recreate the injury. The three men winced.

“Well, I guess an apology is in order,” Crowe said. With a begrudging nod, he added, “Good job, Dr. Isles.”

“Dr. Isles?” Jane echoed. “What about me?”

“Please,” Crowe snorted, “if I had that ass in front of me the whole day, I would’ve-” Vanoss coughed loudly and Jane abruptly stood. “Yeah, well. Anyway. Congrats. Both of you.”

The small group dispersed and the women were finally alone.

“How was work?” Jane asked, gesturing to the sling.

“I gave my autopsy schedule to Pike. He complained, but I think he was secretly thrilled.”

Jane rolled her eyes. “Of course, he was.”

“Ready to go?”

“Yep. Oh, wait.” She reached under her desk and pulled out a rectangular shape wrapped in brown paper. “This is for you. Open it.”

Puzzled, Maura took it and placed it on Jane’s desk, and began carefully peeling back the tape. In minutes, the object was revealed. Maura traced the outline of the picture frame and smiled.

_First Place, Winner, and Champion_

_2014 Survival Challenge_

_Homicide Division_

“I thought getting the signature from General Winchester was a nice touch,” Jane remarked casually. “He said he’s going to buy you a trophy when all the divisions are finished with the challenge, because he’s that confident our time will end up being the best. Said ‘It’s the least I can do since you ladies won me 50 bucks’,” she mimicked.

“This was your idea?” Maura asked.

“Well, yeah,” Jane answered. “I mean, I really wanted to get you a medal, but it was really short notice and-” She was cut off with a kiss, in the middle of the bullpen, for all to see. Dazed slightly, she pulled back, but didn’t relinquish her hold on the beaming Maura. “That was nice,” she said. “Is that my prize?”

She was glad Maura lowered her voice when she replied, “You’ll get your prize when we get home.” The blush stained Jane’s cheeks and Maura grinned. “Maybe we can start the fireplace? Put the sleeping bag down on the floor? Do a bit more… team building?”"

Jane’s mouth twitched in amusement. “Even with your bad arm?”

“My mouth is offended, Detective,” Maura replied. Leaving the brunette speechless, she made her way to the elevator, with her framed award under her arm and a smile that lit up the room.

…..

-end.


End file.
